Team Canada 2014 announced (shockers, snubs and sure things)

The board is set, the pieces are moving, and we are now one massive step closer to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Ladies and gentleman, Team Canada!

FORWARDS

– Sidney Crosby

– Ryan Getzlaf

– Jonathan Toews

– John Tavares

– Matt Duchene

– Chris Kunitz

– Rick Nash

– Patrick Marleau

– Corey Perry

– Patrick Sharp

– Steven Stamkos

– Jamie Benn

– Patrice Bergeron

– Jeff Carter

DEFENSE

– Duncan Keith

– Drew Doughty

– Alex Pietrangelo

– Shea Weber

– P.K. Subban

– Dan Hamhuis

– Marc-Edouard Vlasic

– Jay Bouwmeester

GOALIES

– Roberto Luongo

– Carey Price

– Mike Smith

The team will be coached by Detroit Red Wings bench boss Mike Babcock, who is by far the coach who looks the most confused during hockey games.

(He looks exactly like you would imagine a downstairs neighbour to look)

First off, let me say that I’m not an expert and I’m not willing to debate that “this guy” should have made it over “this guy” for all hours of the day. I am just a fan, who is excited about Olympic hockey.

Checking in with the 5 senses, I like this team. I like it a lot.

It looks good, sounds great, feels right, smells like a winner and tastes… like gold? To be honest, I was in trouble after “feels”, but I committed to the analogy. And in my defense, all 5 senses erupted during the gold medal game in 2010.

So for the uninitiated, let’s talk a walk down memory lane and remember what happened the last time the world stepped to Canada’s hockey grill:

The fact that England and France commentators showed more emotion than the Americans makes me smile.

A lot was made about Team USA and the gaff of leaving Bobby Ryan and Keith Yandle of their squad, and although there will be Canadian fans disappointed that certain players didn’t make the team, you can’t look at this lineup and wonder how someone made the cut.

In short, there is no Rob Zamuner this year.

Here is a picture of the Czech Republic trying to find some way to shut down international hockey superstar Rob Zamuner:

(It worked)

Having said that, there are a few thoughts I have about the roster.

– Roberto Luongo is in the same spot Martin Brodeur was four years ago. He should be your game 1 starter, but if he falters, Carey Price will get a chance to be the man. As a Luongo fan, but also a Team Canada fan, I have no problem with that. Team allegiances are tossed to the side when it comes to getting that gold.

– Put your “sad trombones” away, Canucks defenseman Dan Hamhuis, long consider to be a dark horse candidate for the blueline made the roster. This should come as a surprise to no one, Hammer is the man. I wonder if I can find a picture of Hamhuis looking thrilled with the news?

(Nope. Only sad pictures exist)

– Obviously no Chris Pronger this year, which is nice because he was the one player I still felt it hard to cheer for when he was wearing the maple leaf. That guy is a dick, seriously.

– Matt Duchene was one of the biggest “bubble players” there was, yet Head Coach Mike Babcock wanted speed on the team, so he should have been a lock early.

– Among the most notable snubs this year, Logan Couture, Joe Thornton, Martin St. Louis, any of the Staal brothers, Dan Boyle, Brent Seabrook and of course, Steve Yzerman himself. I thought for sure he would pull a swerve and name himself captain.

– Claude Giroux also didn’t make the cut, but he was still on the cover of an EA Sports NHL game. That’s just as good, right?

– I’m actually pretty excited a guy like Marc-Edouard Vlasic made the team. He is a reliable defenceman, is a big part of why the San Jose Sharks are so strong and he looks exactly like my good friend Mike Jupp. Figure if we travel to Sochi, we’ll trick our way to some VIP treatment.

(Uncanny)

– One of the reasons I love the Olympic hockey tournament is that it gives me a chance to cheer for players I normally hate. After four years of not wanting success for guys like Toews, Getzlaf, Keith, Bouwmeester and anyone from the Toronto Maple Leafs, I can root for them to win. Oh, nobody from the Leafs made it? Or the Oilers? (sad trombone).

– Jeff Carter made the team, adding a much needed “party dude” element to the squad. This year, the victory celebration will be as epic as the win itself.

– 8 players in the Top 10 of NHL scoring are Canadians. Team Canada has enough depth to send two teams to Sochi. Sadly we won’t get a “Canada RED vs. Canada WHITE” gold medal game. Maybe in 2018…

– “Iron Leg” Steven Stamkos made the team. Remember when we all collectively sh** ourselves when this happened? You just can’t keep a good Canadian kid down.

– It’s absolutely impossible for Sidney Crosby to score a bigger goal in 2014 than he did in 2010. This team needs a new hero. I believe in John Tavares.

– Alex Pietrangelo sounds like an amalgamation of all the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I’m not saying this was directly responsible for him making the team, but it probably helped. Also, he is a solid defenceman and was considered by many to be a sure thing during the selection process.

– 3rd string goalie Mike Smith has more goals than shutouts this season. It’s nice to see Steve Yzerman decided to add some scoring depth to Team Canada’s goalie roster this year.

– Martin St. Louis was left off the roster for the second time in a row. While it’s sad to see the 38-year-old player miss his last chance at Olympic glory, the superstitious part of me feels it’s a great decision. He wasn’t there for the gold in 2010, and since then so many young players have risen to prominence. Although this is by far the most controversial snub this year… or is it?

– Say what you will about sports boundaries, another year goes by that a small part of me (the irrational part) is sad Steve Nash isn’t on the Canadian Olympic hockey team. Not even a tryout? Come on! Just goes to show you how deep the talent pool is this year I guess. Although I think at least 2/3rds of Team Canada hockey could make Team Canada basketball.

Joking aside, I am incredibly pleased with the team Steve Yzerman has put together. The amount of talent and depth he had to choose from will obviously make the next few hours, days and weeks a hotbed for second guessing.

You can follow j.Bow on twitter (@jBowmancouver). He has named beer, pizza, chicken wings and cheeseburgers to his Olympic hockey watching food roster. Games are on early, it’s gonna be rough… and delicious.

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